Healing Hermione
by One Red Shoe
Summary: Something awful happened to Hermione Granger at the end of the war against Voldemort, and now she's broken. Will returning to Hogwarts as an apprentice help fix her? What will it take to heal Hermione, and in the process will Severus Snape find healing himself? A very AU story that is in no way canon compliant, both Dumbledore and Snape survived the war.
1. An Unexpected Reaction

**Disclaimer:- **_I neither own nor earn anything from this story, Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates._

sSs

**A/N:- **_I wish to explain something to you dear readers before you read this story. This was the very first HP story I ever wrote, I abandoned it two thirds the way through and started to write 'The Tedium of Time', and I borrowed heavily from this story for Tedium, so to those kind souls who have read 'The Tedium of Time' I feel that I should say, there will be scenes in this story that will feel familiar, this is an entirely different story to Tedium but there are similarities. In fact the story has the same feel as Tedium has, to me anyway, even though it is set after Hermione's schooling, and it is strictly a SS/HG, there are no other pairings, except maybe a hint of AD/MM._

_Of course it goes without saying that this is a SS/HG __ROMANCE__, it is AU and OCC and there will be lemons at some point. Also it is by no means canon compliant. If any of this bothers you, please just move on to another story. Just saying _

_I would also like to mention that the storyline also alludes to torture and rape, but there is nothing graphic depicted, just a warning for anyone sensitive (I know I like to be warned of these things)_

_Anyway, I have spent my holidays revising this story as I felt it was actually worthy of seeing the light of day. I hope you enjoy it…_

hHh

**Chapter I – An unexpected reaction**

Hermione Granger arrived at the Apparition boundary of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, wishing she could have just apparated straight to the castle. She was late, and knew she had taken too long to make her decision, and that wasn't even mentioning the fact that she was still entirely unsure that she should have come back at all.

After years of disillusioned confusion she had become lethargic and a sense of defeat had finally overtaken her, seeming to seep into the very marrow of her bones, usurping all other sensation.

It had been a difficult few of years, and she had accomplished a lot of deep thinking about her place in the world during that time. She had finally given in to the pull of her magic, and decided to answer Septima Vector's latest owl, as it seemed the professor still wanted her to come back as her apprentice.

Although Hermione was very touched by her former professor's faith in her, she was entirely unsure she could actually manage to face the pain that she felt would assault her daily from her experiences at the end of the war, and subsequently her final year at Hogwarts, or for that matter if studying Arithmancy would actually satisfy her. She had an affinity for the subject but she most certainly did not love it.

The only thing she truly wished to study was Potions, regardless of how the Hogwarts Potions master had pushed her aside, berated and belittled her with his special mix of caustic comments. No matter how he rebutted her—especially during her disastrous last year—his class had remained her favourite. He had always been her favourite teacher although she could never work out why, because Severus Snape was the most exasperating man she had ever had to deal with.

It was one of the reasons Hermione had retreated to the Muggle world. After everything that had happened she didn't have the courage left for another rejection, so she never asked him for an apprenticeship. Even though Professor McGonagall had actively pushed her to follow her dream, she was painfully aware that Severus Snape just did not take apprentices.

She knew he had even turned Draco Malfoy away, and that was someone whom Hermione had thought was his favourite student. To make it even more confusing she had learnt after leaving Hogwarts, that Draco was in fact the Potion master's godson.

To his credit, the man had arranged for Draco's apprenticeship with another master, and although Hermione knew with her N.E.W.T. scores it would have been easy for Professor McGonagall to find another Master of Potions to take her on, and indeed her head of house had offered, but after everything that had happened she just didn't have it in her to start again somewhere else. Even a Gryffindor's courage isn't limitless, and she was already hiding enough pain from people, she couldn't have dealt with anymore.

So, after discussions with her parents she had decided to do the next best thing and complete a degree in Organic Chemistry in the Muggle world. Even though deep within herself she knew she was doing the wrong thing allowing her parents to convince her to attend a Muggle University. However, after the horror of the war against Voldemort, Hermione really wished to put everything else out of her mind, and thus reasoned that a break from the Wizarding world may ground her a little.

The university requested she sit an entrance exam, as for some reason, they said it appeared that her academic record had been misplaced and of course Hermione knew the reason. She could have used magic to confound them, but the young woman reasoned that she would only be harming herself if she didn't remember enough of her Muggle Chemistry to gain entry, so she sat the exam, and despite her state of mind she passed with flying colours as anyone who knew her would expect.

However, even though she thought she had found a place in the world, taking the step of entering the Muggle world once more had proved a huge mistake. After really not having lived in their world for eight years Hermione found it was now a far too uncomfortable and foreign existence for her. Everyone seemed to get on her nerves with their petty problems and tempers, Hermione had fought in a war beside her fellow witches and wizards before she had graduated from school for Merlin's sake. She often caught herself thinking, _Goodness, was I ever as shallow as these people?_

This comment was often followed by, _and what is that girl wearing, surely that's indecent?_ During her time in the wizarding world, Hermione had become used to the Victorian style of dress, and even though she hadn't embraced it, she had thought about doing so, quite often in fact.

The outfits she often saw in the Muggle world just made her cringe at their inability to cover a girl's dignity, but worse still, Hermione constantly felt the push to go back to her magic, she even locked her wand away to try and escape its pull. She was shocked and a little horrified to find that it called to her like a child in distress, and she soon found she was forced to use it to sate the excess magic that built up inside her.

Some more soul searching followed, and then another owl from Professor Vector and this led to some serious discussion with her academic advisors and she was accelerated to complete her degree ahead of time.

So, here she was. Hermione sighed as she looked up at the huge castle. _And_ _now I'm staring another destiny in the face. This one will almost certainly contain all those very painful memories images and feelings that even after three years I haven't been able to shift from my mind._ "I must be mad! What's drawn me back to this place?" Her muttered thoughts were like shards of ice from a tree in winter, and they jarred and fractured what little resolve she had left.

After the war against Voldemort was won Hermione had decided, no matter how broken she was, she was going to complete her magical education, after all that was what she had fought for, but the going had been tough. Although it could have been a lot worse, at least her two former friends had taken the Ministry offer to war veterans. However, there were still so many raw wounds, hurts and friends lost. Nevertheless she ploughed through her last year and graduated.

After that though she figured that a little distance for a while might be a good thing, but her experiences at the Muggle university hadn't solved anything, and it instantly hit her full force now how entirely misguided she had been. Standing at the gates, she suddenly realised that the combination of that now familiar queasy nausea and a definite sense of home were fighting for supremacy in her stomach.

However, that didn't stop her hitting the gates in frustration because they were locked. She was late, and she couldn't get in. She watched as said barred entrance gave off a shimmer of blue light, complete with sparks and a dull clang in protest as she felt the magic prickle at her hand.

All she could do was send her Patronus ahead and wait until someone came. Pulling her wand from her robes, _'Expecto Patronum'_ she muttered and actually jumped when the wispy blue otter sprang to life from its end. The fact that she had not been able to think of a happy thought before uttering the spell made her surprised that her Patronus had actually appeared at all as she watched it cavort in front of her. She gave her message to the playful little creature, and it sped off up the drive to deliver it. Hermione hadn't thought to ask it to find someone specific, there was only the vague thought that anyone would do at this late hour.

Hermione watched after the trail of blue, and near the top she saw it stop then after a moment dissolve, she had forgotten how beautiful a Patronus was. Someone had received her message, she hoped they wouldn't take too long though as it was getting very cold.

Wandering over to the grumpy wooden seat by the gate she sank down onto it, the seat complained, "Uff, don't ask first, will you?"

"Oh shut up," she replied irritated, her mind and body were now in complete turmoil, and her stomach was rolling mutinously. She had to smile though when she heard Crookshanks joining in, howling and spitting in bad temper in his carrier, at least she had someone in accord with her.

The witch hadn't seen her Patronus for some time, and couldn't help thinking that even though it still rollicked and played as always that its eyes reflected the emptiness and bone chilling loneliness she felt. She hugged her arms around herself as if trying to protect the remnants of her shattered heart and soul as she fought the sting of tears that she knew wouldn't come, while she waited in the cold September evening. It appeared autumn was upon them with vengeance, as the cold was quickly seeping into every pore, and she could feel a slight shiver on the back of her neck.

Hermione wondered if her bone crushing fatigue was simply tiredness, or was it hunger, nerves and everything at the same time. She found herself concentrating on the tiny light as she made out a luminous wand tip coming into focus. Then she heard the faint crunch of strides on the gravel as the owner of the boots came towards her down the drive, and she knew she would be admitted.

The Gryffindor witch had not even given a thought to who might come, and suddenly found herself curious as to which individual had answered her plea. Whoever it was had not seen fit to respond to her message before heading towards her, but she was at the point of not caring.

The seconds ticked by and she found a sound slowly invading her consciousness, a moment later she found herself sitting bolt upright and fighting to stay still, as drawing a quick gasp of recognition she heard the all too familiar ominous rustle of a certain person's teaching robes.

Even after three years absence it was a sound that still sent shivers through her as it had for the years whist she was a student here, as he had slunk with cat-like stealth around his lab. The only indication he was near being the slight rustle of his robes and an intoxicating mixture of herbs, sandalwood and smoke that followed him as he appeared to watch and wait for the tiniest error before pouncing with the before mentioned feline grace of attack.

Abruptly Hermione's stomach twisted. What the hell was that? That was a feeling she hadn't felt since... _Oh God!_ Hermione fought the urge to actually leave_. If he still hates me, I can't feel that again. _

She rose shakily from her seat, she was now feeling completely at sea; surely she didn't still have a crush on her former Potions master. Hermione reluctantly forced her feet to move back towards the gate, desperately not wanting to think what she was starting to realise, as she watched the light drew closer.

The moon suddenly burst through the clouds and cast its shimmering glow on the situation, and as she raised her head on reaching the gates it dawned vaguely that she was staring up into his fathomless dark eyes, eyes that seemed to register surprise and something else before they settled into their usual cool stare.

Eyes that instantly sent shivers of the kind she didn't want to think about through her, some undefined feeling that quivered somewhere below her navel in the pit of her stomach. She had felt it many times in her last year as a student, but had never had the courage to find an explanation for it, but now her mind had just put a name to it.

Did she have the courage to continue now? _No_, her head screamed at her, _no, no, no!_ Hermione suddenly realised there was another voice now crying to be heard inside as she stood transfixed, gazing into his eyes, was it her heart? She had heard that strangled voice before and she did now what had done then, she ignored it.

After a brief moment and a barely audible intake of breath the trade-mark eyebrow raised and his silky baritone drawled in clipped tones, "Miss Granger?"

Hermione's stomach lurched again, and the richness of his voice made the shiver in the pit of her stomach quiver anew, although her brain only slightly registered it as she tensed waiting for the inevitable sarcastic comment that would follow his statement.

When to her shock he refrained from continuing, and merely continued to watch her. Trying to appear calm as she could, Hermione responded, "Good evening, Professor."

His head nodded in recognition and he tapped his wand on the gates, murmuring some words that created a portal through the wards. Hermione watched as the blue shimmer drew back like curtains being opened, and while still watching her he opened one gate and ushered her through. "I am very sorry to draw you away from the warmth of the castle on such a chilly night, Professor," she commented timidly, to try and relieve the awkward silence.

Much to her surprise, her former professor again refrained from commenting further and simply answered cordially, "I was on my way to the Forbidden Forest when your Patronus intercepted me." After a slight pause he added, "So it was no trouble." He seemed to be appraising her as he surveyed her from head to toe while tapping the gates again so they resumed their former state.

Hermione visibly shivered as the backlash of magic rippled past her senses. He saw this and his expression changed for a moment into something undefined, but then her head lowered.

"I am certain your former head of house is awaiting your arrival in her rooms," he stated, not all together unkindly. "You should hurry, it is quite cold tonight."

This confused Hermione slightly, surely he meant Professor Vector, but there was no way she was feeling brave enough to disagree with him. She might have been a Gryffindor but she was no fool, only those with a death wish were that stupid. Hermione was intensely aware she was still under his appraising gaze, then in the blink of an eye as suddenly as his almost cordial remarks had impressed her, she heard him mutter coolly, "Good evening Miss Granger."

His patience seeming to unexplainably evaporate and he abruptly turned on his heel and stalked off into the forest beside the path. Professor Snape's abrupt departure left Hermione standing there with her mouth open. _What the hell was that?_ she thought as her anger started to curl out of her chest, watching as he was being rapidly swallowed up by the darkness. Then another thought came to her, he hadn't had to put himself out to open the gates for her, he could easily have pawned her off on someone else and suddenly she found his usual abrupt coolness confusing in the light of his earlier unexpected civility.

Hermione decided she should repay his actions and after remembering her manners, she called after him. "Good evening, Professor, and thank you." She saw the shadowy figure come to an abrupt halt and appear to stiffen, before recovering to resume his steam engine like progress into the forest and out of her sight.

She stood watching where he had disappeared for some time, then reaching into her robes draw her wand and muttered, _'lumos' _before she started up the drive. She made slow progress, turning every once in a while trying to understand the unexplained empty feeling that his departure had given her. Hermione found if she looked to the place where she had last seen him the sensation abated a little. She also kept looking over her shoulder with the strange feeling she was being watched, then shrugging as she thought to herself, _Don't be stupid you're just being paranoid._

xox

Severus Snape stood leaning up against a tree, out of sight as he watched the young woman's progress up the drive. He was softly knocking the back of his head on the rough bark. _What's going to happen to her in light of what has occurred the day before?_ he wondered.

He looked after her once again, and groaned. The fact that she was here again filled him with horror. _How am I going to deal with this? I bet Dumbledore is responsible for this. Damn, the old meddler and his confounded plans, screwing around with the young woman's life, just like he does to everybody._

He ducked his head further back into the shadows each time she turned around, it was almost like she could feel his regard and it struck him that there were not many people that were that perceptive.

While he was watching her at the gate he had noticed that she looked so tired and drained, like she hadn't slept well for a long time and he didn't want to admit how much that had bothered him. Her eyes were sunken and darkened with black circles. He had always envied her the life in those pretty brown amber-flicked eyes, but her last year here they had appeared almost as dead as his own. He had wished at the time there had been something he could have done to help her, but that would have been inappropriate.

He pushed himself off the tree as she reached the top of the drive, but to see that nothing had changed after three years, well that was troubling. He couldn't help pondering the circumstances that may have led to this loss being so permanent as he resumed his walk towards his destination. He had heard rumours from Draco that there had been a nasty split between her, Potter and that stupid oaf Weasley, but surely that could have been fixed.

Abruptly a sudden notion terminated his train of thought. _Why am I concerned, nothing has changed? Why the hell should I be troubled with Hermione Granger? She hates me_, he looked to the top of the drive again. _I saw her tense at the gate when she recognised me._

Then something made him stop, and he muttered aloud, "But I've never given her any reason to feel any other way." Severus felt a pang of guilt at this, and then he reconciled it with his next thought. _At that point she was a student—regardless of her being above age of consent in her final year—it couldn't have been any other way_.

Another thing was that he had resigned himself to the fact he wouldn't survive the war, let alone have any hope for the future. The fact that he had narrowly avoided his intended fate still astounded him, but to come back to teaching and fall for the charms of Hermione Granger… he shivered, and now she was going to reside in the same castle again... He didn't even want to contemplate that, would it be a blessing or a curse?

He started walking again, only to stop with his next questioning thought. He wanted to know what had happened to her, and this scared him. That meant he was still vulnerable, that he still cared.

_Oh, who am I trying to kid, of course I still care, but can I let myself? Really out of all the people who resided in the countless rooms and halls of that enormous stone edifice to Wizardry ego and short sightedness, I'm the very last person she would ever willingly confide in, let alone tell her deepest secrets to._

This hurt him more than he was able to acknowledge.He abruptly felt a pang of emotion constrict his chest and he scolded himself. "Bloody hell man, you know she hasn't come back to you. So get a grip and deal with it," he muttered heatedly to no one in particular, but he couldn't help wondering angrily. _Why the hell is fate such a nasty fucking bitch?_ and he stalked off towards the Moon Flowers once more.


	2. Questions

**Disclaimer:- **_I neither own nor earn anything from this story, Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and her associates._

sSs

**A/N:- **_Thank you all for your response to the first chapter of this story, I appreciate your interest very much. So, here is the next offering, I hope you enjoy it… If you remember from last time, Hermione has just arrived at Hogwarts and after an unexpected encounter with Severus she has made it as far as the castle._

**hHh**

**Chapter Two – Questions**

Hermione paused in the entrance hall soaking in the familiar smells and atmosphere. Off to her left the Great Hall was silent and dark, but in her mind she could still see them all as clear as day, coming in to be sorted that very first evening. They had all been so innocent, she shivered, and the question begged in her mind. _Would she have stayed if she'd known then what she would feel now? _

She shivered, and forcing her mind to focus again on matters at hand, she turned towards the stairs still confused as to why it was Professor McGonagall she needed to see. Shrugging she decided to follow Snape's instructions, and she turned towards her former head of house's rooms. If it was indeed a mistake she would soon find out.

"Miss Granger," the portrait guardian said as she approached. "You are expected, just a moment, please," and the witch in the tartan evening gown, with the thick white sash disappeared. After a few seconds the portrait swung open allowing Hermione entrance, she stepped through with Crookshanks still being levitated in his carrier following her.

The older woman glanced up from her work. "Miss Granger, I was starting to become concerned." When Minerva raised her head and met Hermione's gaze, she was momentarily shocked by her former student's hollow eyes and pale complexion. "Oh dear," she gushed without thinking, "you look so tired," and she indicated for Hermione to sit on the lounge by the fire.

"Hello Professor, it's nothing really, I'm fine." This was Hermione's stock reply to that sentence, she heard it often, and was used to brushing concern aside.

"Have you eaten?" Hermione shook her head and McGonagall's lips tightened.

Hermione knew that displeased expression and was wondering if she was about to get a lecture on taking care proper of herself.

However, McGonagall remained silent and called, "Tinky." A house elf appeared and bowed low, "Some sandwiches and tea."

The elf bowed again. "Tinky is being pleased to serve, Head of Gryffindor," and she was gone again. Almost immediately she returned with a tray laden with tea and sandwiches, which she placed carefully down between them.

McGonagall indicated with her hand for her former student to start eating, and turned back to her elf. "Take Miss Granger's luggage to her room." Here McGonagall nodded towards the rooms within her own quarters allocated to each professor for the housing of an apprentice.

The elf bowed low and turned expectant eyes onto Hermione. After a moment of confusion the young woman duly produced her trunk from her pocket and enlarged it. The elf smiled and both Crookshanks in his carrier and her trunk disappeared along with Tinky.

Finally McGonagall turned to the door, and raising her wand, her Patronus slinked around her legs. "Albus, Miss Granger has arrived," and the wispy cat bounded off through the door.

It only seemed a moment later and Albus Dumbledore strode through the door, resplendent in plum robes with tiny twinkling stars around the hem. "Ah Miss Granger I felt you enter the castle wards, welcome back." His blue eyes sparkled at her and he plonked himself down on the lounge as though it was the most natural thing in the world to do, taking the cup of tea McGonagall offered him.

Hermione watched the two older Gryffindors and even through her tiredness she was becoming more and more concerned by their exchanged looks, this coupled with the absence of Professor Vector was making her frayed nerves pulse cruelly.

Eventually she could stand it no longer and cleared her throat to fill the silence and thereby also gain their attention as she rubbed her forehead. "Will Professor Vector be joining us?" Hermione inquired with as much patience as she could muster.

"Ah, no," replied Dumbledore.

Hermione could have sworn he sounded evasive, so she ventured another question. "Why was I directed here and not to Professor Vector's rooms?" There it was again, they were giving one another significant looks and she had no idea why. Quickly becoming very irritable she sighed in frustration. "Okay, who's going to tell me what's going on?" There was very little respect left in her voice, and when they both turned to her she quickly added, "Please."

Headmaster Dumbledore appeared to take a deep cleansing breath before continuing. _So much for Gryffindor courage, he looked like his had abruptly fled from him, indeed even the tough Minerva McGonagall looks strained_, Hermione thought.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Miss Granger," he started, "I'm afraid there has been a change in circumstances." Hermione wondered what the undefined note in his voice was, but Dumbledore continued before she could question him. "Professor Vector did not return this term as she had planned to."

A sharp, "Oh," was all Hermione could manage, and even that just sounded like her breath escaping her. She looked up at the two pairs of concerned eyes watching her and she instantly knew it wasn't good. "Why?" she ventured timidly, even as her thoughts swirled. _I've come all this way, what do you mean, didn't come back. Surely she was expecting me?_

Professor McGonagall was the one who answered, she had come to sit on the lounge Dumbledore was occupying and placed her hand lightly on his knee. Hermione couldn't help thinking how much like an old married couple they looked. "There has been an accident while Septima was holidaying with her sister in Surrey. The day before yesterday they were experimenting, her sister Rosalind worked at St Mungos, she was a brewer there. She had been working on some potion, and well something went wrong and they ended up with a toxic mix of gases." McGonagall watched Hermione for her reaction; she was surprised to see her simply sitting there merely listening, blinking yes, but no more.

After a moment Hermione opened her mouth to speak. "Are they..." but she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Dumbledore nodded sadly.

"Rosalind is, the funeral is on Friday," McGonagall added.

"Our dear Arithmancy professor is currently in St Mungo's and there has been no further news, but I'm afraid the prognosis isn't hopeful," Dumbledore told her.

Hermione opened her mouth again; she wanted to know what would happen to her now, why after she had finally come back this had to happen. She wanted to know what had gone wrong, but she felt so selfish asking. Here were Professor Vector in St Mungo's and her sister dead, and all she could think of was how it affected her. Then she realised that really all she felt she wanted to do at this very moment was scream very loudly, she had only been back about an hour and already she was scrambling to force herself to stay.

Dumbledore seemed to notice this and cut her off at the pass. "Miss Granger, do not be alarmed, I do have a plan in mind that will see you staying with us. Perhaps you would be good enough to come to my office at 8.30 am tomorrow morning."

Hermione was sure he flinched just a tiny bit, but then after a moment she thought his lip curled up under his beard into a mischievous smile, and his eyes were definitely twinkling when he continued, looking at Professor McGonagall, "That should give me the amount of time I need to secure agreement from the other party involved."

Dumbledore watched her for a moment while Hermione contemplated who the other party may be, but as she opened her mouth to inquire she saw a look of intense scrutiny on Dumbledore's face and an unspoken question hanging on his lips. Eventually he seemed to give in and he asked, "May I inquire, Miss Granger, what made you choose Arithmancy over Potions? You received an outstanding for both in your N.E.W.T. exams. However, both Professor McGonagall and I," and his hand patted McGonagall's that was still on his knee, "feel you had a greater love for Potions." His mouth turned up into a smile, "In fact, you are the only student I have ever heard Professor Snape praise for their ability."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Professor Snape… what?" she exclaimed and then muttered more to herself than anyone, "Well he had a funny way of showing it."

Dumbledore chuckled at her comment, and then added, "Of course he didn't admit it directly, more under sufferance, but he did say it."

Hermione gave him a 'sure he did' look and then refocused onto his question. _What the heck, _she thought, _I've got nothing to lose_ _by telling him_. In fact, she already knew what to say, having thought about it in great depth herself, even if she didn't wish to divulge all her reasons. Like for one, the fact that the Potions master made her brain confused every time she was with him.

She took a deep breath, and placed her cup on the side table. Folding her hands together in her lap, she finally spoke. "Sir, I have always liked Arithmancy, but it is true, I have more of a passion for potions." She shrugged, taking another deep breath, and continued quickly before she lost her nerve. "However, when it came down to it, Professor Vector offered me a place that I knew I could never attain with Professor Snape." She exhaled loudly, and then looked at her two elders. "I had already decided that if I couldn't study Potions with Professor Snape, I do not want to study Potions. I have a huge respect for the man's mind; he is brilliant." _Even if he is a complete arse_, she thought. "And not trying to sound arrogant, but I want to learn from the best, sir."

Dumbledore fixed her with a steady gaze which after her statement, she had trouble maintaining, especially when he said, "Did you ever even ask Professor Snape about studying with him?" and then seeing the look of sheer horror on her face he chuckled, "Really Miss Granger, you're a Gryffindor."

Hermione drew herself up straight and stuck her chin out resolutely, and finally mumbled something Dumbledore didn't catch all of, but it sounded very much like she said, she didn't have a death wish, but refused to comment further.

He nodded, and then had the unmitigated cheek to laugh at her. "Good... actually very good." He seemed to have reached some conclusion, and looking at Professor McGonagall he smiled, and for all the world he resembled an excited little boy with a grand plan.

The lady in question gave him an almost disapproving look that even to Hermione in her confused state screamed, 'I know what you're up to and I don't agree'. Dumbledore looked away from her steady gaze and cleared his throat before rising. "Very well, sleep well, Miss Granger. Good night, Minerva dear," and he kissed her cheek.

Both women wished the headmaster a good night, and when he had left McGonagall turned to Hermione. "You look like you could use a good night's sleep, my dear. You will occupy my spare rooms for the time being as I have no apprentice at present."

Hermione was deep in thought as she watched The Headmaster leave, then realising McGonagall had spoken, she vaguely turned and after it registered what she had said she replied distractedly, "Oh... err thank you, Professor, good night," and she moved towards the door Minerva had indicated.

However, as her hand rested on the door knob Hermione's curiosity got the better of her, and she looked back at the older woman, "Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Granger," the tone was constricted and Hermione felt she was being warned to stop before she ventured any further with her questions. The young woman tensed, she had learnt the hard way about heeding unspoken warnings. Instead, changing tack she said, "Thank you for allowing me to stay here, Professor," and held her tongue on other matters.

"You're very welcome, my dear," and the Professor's mouth relaxed into a smile. "Good night."

"Good night," Hermione sighed and shut the door.

xox

Crookshanks had already made himself comfortable on her bed and Tinky had provided him with food and water. The elf had unpacked Hermione's trunk and neatly stored everything away. She located her nightie, and once found she placed the item on her bed and moved absently to the window. Pulling herself up into the wide sill she drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees.

After she had been sitting there contemplating the interview she had just had, a sudden movement near the edge of the Forbidden Forest grabbed her attention, as a distinctive black cloaked figure emerged. He appeared to be carrying something about the size of a small child, then she saw something larger running up behind him. Hermione watched in shock, as she thought the larger figure was about to attack him, but she watched as still bearing his load, he turned and shifted what she now realised was a baby thestral into one arm, putting out his hand he placated what was obviously a very concerned mother thestral.

Hermione was enthralled by his actions; he was being so gentle with them. There was not even a hint of the over-bearing, ill-tempered Potions master in his manner, she watched mesmerised as he encouraged the mother to follow him towards Hagrid's hut.

Even after Hagrid had taken the baby into his care, Professor Snape remained to assist the half-giant, using his wand to erect a privacy scene so the shy creatures would feel safe. If Hermione hadn't seen it with her own eyes she would never have believed it, but eventually as tiredness over took her she headed for the shower, still completely enthralled by what she had seen.

As she stood under the refreshingly hot water another thought entered her head, she had never seen a real thestral before, only drawings in her Care of Magical Creatures text book. This saddened her knowing that because she had seen so many people die in the war that she was now able to see these retiring creatures. This knowledge sapped the last fragments of her strength and she slid down the wall of the shower cubical and sat on the tiled floor hugging herself tightly around the knees as unwelcome visions of Remus, Tonks, Seamus, Lavender and Colin, cold and bloodied swam in her head.

Her chest constricted and a painful lump in her throat throbbed and steadfastly refused to be dislodged, she somehow knew if she could cry about it that would help, but no matter what she did it was like her heart had turned to stone. Eventually stumbling to her feet and sighing heavily, she turned off the water. Stepping out of the shower she dried herself and her hair and carelessly inserted herself into her nightie. She tiredly pulled the covers up around her, ignoring Crookshanks protests about being disturbed, and after a muttered, _"Nox,"_ she placed her wand on her bedside table, before trying to sleep.

xox

Hermione did actually manage to sleep that night, even if it was restlessly, but she had the strangest dreams. Dreams that on blinking away sleep the next morning had her lying there sifting through them. After the usual visions of the war; that seemed to be glued onto the screen of her mind by a permanent sticking charm whenever she closed her eyes. She had dreamt about locked gates, and for some reason trains.

However, it was the sudden realisation of what had happened on the train that was unexpected, and she instantly found herself completely flustered, as blushing furiously she recalled being held in strong supportive arms. The longed for touch of long elegant fingers tenderly stroking her hair and _his_ silky rich voice assuring her, that she was perfectly safe, and he would let any harm come to her.

She sat bolt upright, her heart pounding as the image totally took her breath away.

Try as she might her mind went blank, and stubbornly kept wandering back to his elegant hands giving her comfort. After what seemed like an age she finally forced her brain to dissect the event logically, and eventually reasoned that she had only dreamt that because she had seen him with the baby thestral the night before.

Hermione refused to accept what her mutinous brain suddenly told her, or to recognise the reason her heart was pounding so hard, and this was not even mentioning the quiver in the pit of her stomach every time she thought about it. No, she told herself, she had to continue remembering that he was the evil Potions master who hated… no, not hated, _loathed_ her.

Having made this resolve she got up, happy for once she hadn't had the dream that made her scream. Her flinched as she remembered the number of times she had woken, drenched in sweat and not sure if she had screamed out loud or not; it was downright embarrassing.

No, the visions last night had not been of the variety that made her scream, and her right hand unconsciously moved to cover her left forearm.

As Hermione was dressing, she decided bravely that she would put it out of her mind completely. It was not like she would be having very much to do with him while she was here anyway, and Hermione shifted her thoughts quietly to how strange it felt to be at Hogwarts and not dressing in a uniform.

Looking in the mirror, she knew that her plain robes did nothing for her, but she shrugged, no one ever noticed her anyway. She twisted her now wavy, not bushy, waist length hair up into a tight bun at her neck. Finally she cleaned her teeth, and feeling strangely quite relieved to be finally able to be seen in robes every day again, she headed out into Minerva's sitting room.

Her head of House was just organising herself for the day. "Ah, Miss Granger. I'm glad to see you are up before I leave." She looked up approvingly of Hermione being so organised. "Help yourself to tea or coffee; the pot will know what you want and how you like it."

Hermione headed over to the table, as Minerva continued thoughtfully. "Perhaps it would be wise for you to have breakfast here this morning, have Tinky bring you something; you will know your appropriate place after your meeting with Albus this morning."

Hermione was uncertain of what this meant, but nodded and took a sip of her tea as she watched McGonagall. However, her mind was running a million miles per hour. _Appropriate place, what the hell does that mean?_ She saw McGonagall purse her lips but keep organising the lesson plans and the scrolls of homework she had already accumulated from holiday assignments. _Why does Professor McGonagall seem to disapprove of what the Headmaster has in mind?_

This morning saw some of Hermione's vigour returned, and her curiosity awakened again. "Do you know what the headmaster is going to talk to me about?"

McGonagall studied her for a moment, "Yes," she finally conceded.

"Then I wish you would tell me, Professor," Hermione asked, and when this had no effect she tried. "I really don't want too many err… unexpected surprises."

"Oh no... It won't be placed on my shoulders to tell you." She gave Hermione an appraising glance. "Let me just say that I know what the meddling old fool has done, and I can't necessarily say I agree with him, and it would have been better to leave well enough alone, I dare say." she thought a moment and sighed, "Mind you, if he can pull it off it will be an interesting experiment in tolerance, not to mention inter-house unity," she conceded tersely, and then abruptly chuckled. "Yes a very interesting experiment," she nodded, "I'll give Albus credit his got guts to even be suggesting it."

_What did that all mean, she's really not told me anything_, Hermione realised with a stab of frustration.

McGonagall straightened her face and continued, "In all seriousness, Miss Granger, his plan could prove to be inspired." She came over and put a hand on Hermione's shoulder, "And I'm sure if Albus is still in one piece when you get to his office, he will explain it all to you." Minerva registered Hermione's confused expression and smiling said, "I have no class second lesson if you wish to have an ear to bend. I will see you in my office." She was about to turn away when she added, "Please try to see the benefits of such an arrangement and not just the negatives, and don't say no too quickly." She thought for a moment longer, before adding, "I for one would be pleased to see you stay here."

Hermione was starting to regret asking the professor, but nevertheless she promised to be open minded. In the interests of eating something that might settle her now churning stomach, she ate half a piece of toast and headed for the Headmasters office.

oOo

**Notes:-** I know, I know, I've done it to you all again (Mah ha ha), but this really is the best place to end the chapter. What do you think will happen in Albus' office? Ah yes, we all know it will be something involving the lovely Potions master of Hogwarts, don't we? See you all soon.


	3. The Dumbledorian Grand Plan

**Disclaimer:- **_I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and her associates._

sSs

**A/N:- **_Thank you to all who reviewed, favourited or elected to follow this story, I appreciate you all, and I'm very glad they you seem to be enjoying my story. This is the last setup chapter, from the next chapter on its all Hermione and Severus goodness. Please enjoy…_

hHh

**Chapter Three - The Dumbledorian Grand Plan**

"You want me to what?" the Potions master snarled at Albus Dumbledore. "Have you finally lost the plot completely, old man?" he seethed, in answer to Dumbledore's proposal.

The ever jovial headmaster watched the wizard who he thought of as a son pacing agitatedly in response to what he had been asked of him, prowling the distance from wall to wall like a caged animal after his initial explosion. It saddened Albus to see him already convinced that having anything to do with Hermione would end badly, and he reasoned that he would get the same reaction from Hermione as well.

It was sad to think that Severus and Hermione were both so primed for rejection, as they were both were brilliant and would be capable of so much together, but they had been hurt so often, and had now put up so many walls against humanity. Albus shook his head sadly, they were both broken, and it was the headmaster's dearest wish to see them whole again.

Albus could see Severus processing the information he had been told, and he thought as he turned his full attention back to him, that perhaps it was time to add another incentive to the deal. "Severus, just think of it this way, with Miss Granger assisting you… under your supervision of course," he added quickly hearing a growl from Severus. "You will still be able to continue with your research unimpeached by too much extra teaching."

"But Albus," Severus shut his eyes and tried to focus his mind, but found himself not knowing what to say next_. This is the worst possible scenario, how am I going to keep Hermione at arm's length if we're sharing classes? We'll be together constantly, that will be a living nightmare._

"Severus she is an extraordinary young woman, even without mentioning the fact that she told me last night that she only wanted to learn from the best, and she wants to learn from you."

Severus' only response was a raised eyebrow, as he found himself once more off kilter. "S-she s-said that," he finally stuttered, his mouth dropping open. "She who could choose any master she wanted… she wants m-me to teach her?" He was incredulous.

"Don't look so confounded Severus, it really shouldn't come as such a shock, she has always had a preference for you." Albus heard the almost silent shocked breath as the Potions master processed the information he had just been gifted with, and Albus drew in a deep breath and changed tack. "Look, I wouldn't suggest this if I didn't think she was capable. Remember her seventh year Potions revision class?" He looked hard at Snape, "She even managed to help Mr. Longbottom to an Exceeds Expectations."

"Don't remind me of that dunderhead. I'm finally rid of him, he is Spout's problem now," he seethed, and then abruptly sighed. "I have to admit though, that it was an impressive feat." He took another deep breath, and softly conceded, "Actually I'd love to know how she did it."

Albus cocked an eyebrow and with a mischievous twisted smile he smoothly stated, "Well Severus dear boy, here's your chance to find out."

Severus glared at him. "Sometimes I hate you, old man," he fumed, and Albus' grin widened.

"Severus this is the best plan, you need her," Albus said significantly. "It will work out," he nodded, "you'll see."

"What do you mean need her? I _need_ no one," he spat, but he knew his argument was falling apart, so he conceded and dropped into one of the two chairs in front of the desk.

Albus inclined his head to him and set his mouth, but what he was about to say was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Ah, Miss Granger, do come in," Albus said, smiling at Severus, who scowled in return.

Hermione opened the door and entered to find Albus sitting behind his desk his blue eyes sparkling so brightly he positively glowed as he watched the man in the black robes sitting opposite him. _Dumbledore's grinning and Snape is scowling, well nothing unusual there, but why?_ The Gryffindor witch wondered.

Hermione went back over the conversation with said headmaster last night, and then thought about Professor McGonagall's comment about an interesting experiment in inter-house... "Oh No!" she drew a deeply shocked breath. "My goodness, y-you can't expect me to... no!" She was shaking her head without either of them having said a single word. Then she abruptly realised she had said it out loud, and she started to apologise. "Oh dear, no, I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to say that..." Hermione glanced and Snape's closed off expression, and felt awful that she had said something so uncaring.

The Potions master's eyes moved from Hermione back to Dumbledore without a muscle in his countenance changing he scoffed sarcastically, "Well Albus it looks like little-Miss-know-it-all has seen through your plan before you have even told her what's going on." He laughed harshly, "and it appears that she is just as unimpressed as I am."

Hermione glared at the dark man, and he inclined his head too her. "Bravo, Granger, your Gryffindorish outburst has told me exactly how you feel."

Hermione refused to let him see how much he had upset her with his remarks. However, just when she was only feeling righteous indignation at him, her brain revved into overdrive and teased her with, _My goodness he looks sexy. _Hermione felt the twist of pleasure in the pit of her stomach, and she scolded herself. _You're mad you are, you've finally snapped. Don't think that, think evil Potions master... evil Potions master, and breathe woman,_ she chanted to herself._ He's the evil Potions master who loathes you, remember that_. She hoped she hadn't blushed. _That's right, evil Potions master who made your life more of a hell than it already was._

As he said this Severus Snape watched Hermione Granger, she was starting to bristle and when she did, what was that flicker in her eyes. Just for a moment he thought he saw it, yes he did. He saw a flicker of the fire return to those beautiful eyes, he hated seeing her look so injured and dead.

_This could be worth it even just to see the hope of the fire return to her eyes, _he considered. The Head of Slytherin's reaction to that thought though was more venom. He turned to Albus and said curtly, "Well go on, tell her what you want her to do," and he indicated that Hermione should seat herself beside him. He set his features, sat his elbows on the arms of the chair and placed his hands laced across his stomach. His robes settled in black pools around him, and he prepared to watch the show, he himself a study of external calmness.

Albus glared at him but started by hedging, he wanted to see them interact, so he called his house elf to bring tea.

Severus was still watching Hermione covertly, and he was certain she was just about to erupt in frustration. In typical Dumbledore style he had most likely, enigmatically mentioned the vaguest fragments of a plan last night without filling in the details, really the man would be a masterful Slytherin. Then in addition to this, his austere offsider had probably given her an equally baffling Gryffindor pep-talk this morning, and he had learned that in a member of the red and gold house, confusion resulted in anger and passion.

Then right on cue, Severus' eyebrow shot up as he heard her curtly exclaim, "Excuse me, Headmaster, I really do not want any tea." and her eyes narrowed beautifully. She was on her feet in full Gryffindor exasperation mode, her fists clenched, chin jutting out, the works.

Severus was now watching closely, and yes there was that fire again. _And now for the climax_, he thought.

Hermione stamped her foot in frustration, she really was sick of being tossed from pillar to post. "Will you please just tell me what's going on?" she seethed at him through clenched teeth.

_Oh well done Granger, you tempered that with a please, good girl,_ Severus thought, mentally applauding. _Oh yes, yes, this is beautiful, go Granger give the old bastard hell_. He watched her again. _By Circes she's exquisite. Shit, don't think that,_ he thought... then when he felt another opinion twitch in his trousers he panicked. _No! You stupid fool you mustn't start thinking like that again, time to take control again and then take my leave_, he considered, very alarmed by what he was thinking and feeling.

Turning towards Hermione after glaring once more at Albus, Severus said, "It seems if the Headmaster has his way, you and I are to be working together."

He raised a single raven eyebrow and even though she was sitting down, Hermione found her legs turning to jelly, and this panicked her so much that she almost missed the next sentence.

"What is your view on this development?" Snape asked her.

Trying to regain her composure she stuttered, "Really, err I guess… oh, my goodness!"

Snape's eyebrow now reached his raven hair. "That sums up some of my thoughts," he drawled and rose from his chair. "Well Albus, explain to her what you have in mind. I have a class first lesson." He turned to Hermione, "If you feel you can manage to get past the stunned, stuttered exclamations you are currently uttering," and Severus watched her blush prettily. "I will be waiting at the termination of second lesson in my classroom, do not be late." He nodded to her and turned in a ripple of black. "Good morning, Albus" he stated and he retreated towards the door. "You will rue this day," and he prowled out of the office.

Hermione found herself spinning around in her chair and watching, mesmerised as he stalked off out the door, the whole ambience of the office changed as he left.

Dumbledore noticed Miss Granger's longing eyes watching after the Potions professor, and experienced a feeling of immense satisfaction brewing in his chest, and he knew he was doing the right thing thrusting them together. _Now, as long as they don't take the whole castle with them in an explosion of pure temper before they accept the inevitable, and maybe they will find happiness_, he thought.

Taking a deep breath Albus started questioning her. "Well, my dear, what do you think?"

Hermione vaguely turned back around, her gaze unfocused for a moment, but finally she spluttered, "Truly, Headmaster, I must admit in all seriousness I'm still thinking, Oh no!"

Dumbledore laughed, and his damnable eyes twinkled merrily. "I think we all are, but my dear if anyone can handle this, you can."

"Exactly what would be required of me, sir?"

"You would be directly answerable to Professor Snape of course, and you would be his apprentice, teaching first, second and third year Potions as well as second and third year Arithmancy for the time being, all under his capable supervision. Being proficient at Arithmancy in addition to Potions, Professor Snape has agreed to teach both Arithmancy and Potions until you are ready to teach the entire Arithmancy curriculum." The Headmaster thought for a moment. "Actually the two disciplines entwine superbly," he added, his expression unreadable. "Your official title would be assistant Arithmancy slash Potions Mistress. You would essentially be completing a double apprenticeship."

"I see," said Hermione hesitantly, starting to feel very overwhelmed by what was being asked of her. She was also hearing a slight hint of suggestiveness in Dumbledore's voice and this made her frown. Her thoughts then flew back to her dream and what had popped into her head during this meeting, and she dropped her head to hide her blush. Finally, when Dumbledore didn't say anything else, clearing her throat she asked, "So, ultimately I will be the new Arithmancy professor, sir?"

"Yes Miss Granger, but that may take some time. Make no mistake this will be a heavy work load for you at first, apprentices normally only have a part time teaching schedule, and one apprenticeship to complete. You will be almost full time and will still have to find time for two research projects to fulfil your apprecticeship obligations."

Hermione noticed the note of concern in the headmaster's voice, and she raised her head to steadily hold his gaze again. Feeling she had successfully hid her blush, she thought she had better show her appreciation, as he was starting to look a little disgruntled about her lack of joy at the situation. _Mind you, what does he expect, how am I going to manage this? _However, her manners kicked in and she said, "I am very grateful for an opportunity I didn't think I would ever get, thank you." She paused, "But I have to say that at the moment I am boarding on hysterically scared witless."

Dumbledore's clear laugh echoed around the room. "Miss Granger, don't be scared of Severus Snape, as you get to know him you will find a very different person behind the mask he shows the world."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. There it was succinctly summed up; exactly what she was actually afraid of. However, after what she had witnessed the previous evening her concerns were somewhat pacified, and she knew the tactics to handle the feared Potions master. After all, she had survived his class for seven years and especially in her last year when his sarcasm and cruel comments had appeared unsurmountable; even then she had managed to overcome it and keep going.

It was Severus Snape the man that scared her, what would happen when she got to know that person? The next thought that followed unsettled her even more and she refused to accept it. No, it was fighting to the surface again. It was only a tiny voice, but it screamed loudly at her, you still have feelings for him. It made her head swim, and her mind go blank and she heard a strange roaring in her ears. _Oh Dumbledore's talking again_, her brain told her and she forced herself to tune in just in time to hear what he was saying.

"Well, if you have no more questions, Miss Granger," and she realised she was being dismissed.

"O-oh err, no," she stuttered, "n-no more questions," and she got up on shaky legs.

"Remember my dear, my door is always open. Good Morning, Miss Granger."

Hermione remembered vaguely saying good morning to Dumbledore as she wandered through the door. She had made it to the bottom of the stairs hazily hearing the gargoyle rumbling shut again. She needed to be alone, to think about what had just occurred to her, she quickly ducked into one of the numerous alcoves that lined this and many of the other corridors.

Now hidden from sight she leant up against the strong solid stone, she hoped its coolness might help the thoughts condense, as her mind raced light years ahead of her. _Oh no, what have I just agreed to, he hates me,_ she thought. _I've just agreed to be his apprentice, in not one, but two subjects_. She groaned… _for four years._ _What hell have I just condemned myself to?_

Hermione Granger had an instant urge to run, but to where? Really there was no where left to run; she had been doing that for too long. For some unexplained reason she wanted to stay, she needed to stay, she desired this chance. She wanted this opportunity badly, this chance to spend countless hours with the sarcastic, brooding, brilliant, totally adorable and completely unknown to her Potions master. _But he hates me_, she thought. Hermione hugged herself tightly as realisation hit her, and she realised she had deep and very personal feeling for this difficult and private man.

xox

Hermione finally managed to struggle out of her dark hiding place and wander further up the hallway only to be caught in the throng of students moving between first and second lesson. She finally made it to Professor McGonagall's office door and just stood there. She heard the professor coming before she saw her.

"Mr. Flint, tuck your shirt in this instant," the Transfiguration professor curtly admonished.

"Yes, Professor," came the sullen and sarcastic reply.

This was followed by a very tight lipped Minerva McGonagall striding around the corner. When she saw Hermione waiting for her, her face brightened initially, but by the time she had drawn level with her, she expressed dismay. "Oh dear, Miss Granger it can't actually be that bad, can it?"

Finally when there was no response to her question, Minerva pushed Hermione through the open door of her office and guided her to the comfortable chair beside her office desk. She tapped her under the chin and her mouth snapped shut, and then she handed her a cup of tea. Once seated at her desk she merely commanded, "Drink and speak, Miss Granger."

"Um... ah" and then Hermione found her voice. "How could he do that to me?" she leant forward and tried to put her head in her hands then realised she was holding a cup of tea "Professor Snape has always loathed me, he thinks I'm a know-it-all. He even said so just this morning." She looked back up her former head of house. "Now we have to be together... I mean work together," she took a deep breath. "All day, every day..."

Hermione missed McGonagall's raised eyebrows at her slip, she also missed the fact that she noticed that her indrawn breath was very shaky as she continued voicing her thoughts. "Oh no!" She glanced at McGonagall sitting there calmly waiting for her to finish. "And _live_ together." She suddenly realised horrified. _How can I manage to do that? _Hermione wondered abstractly.

"Are you finished, Miss Granger?" the totally confused witch nodded. "Right," said the elder woman officiously, looking at the shaking cup in Hermione's hands she abruptly levitated it onto her desk for safety. "Now, let me see," and she started counting off on her fingers. "One, Professor Dumbledore did this for you because he could see you really wanted to work in Potions," she put her hand up to forestall Hermione when she heard her take a deep breath, "and further more you as good as said last night that you wouldn't study under anyone else."

Hermione's mouth engaged before her brain, and she interrupted, "But... but I never thought I'd… that was before I realised..." and she abruptly stopped. The professor looked at her expecting her to finish the sentence, but she shook her head and blushed before she said "Err, never mind, Professor," and put her head down.

Professor McGonagall smiled secretly, she wondered if Albus had noticed as well. She thought back to the night of Miss Granger's graduation when Dumbledore had come to her at the end of the evening very shocked, and with a story she hadn't really believed. In fact she had asked him how much Firewhisky he had drunk.

The look on Albus' face the night of Miss Granger's graduation was still clear in her mind. He had been totally aghast as he stuttered, "I-I've just come back from the Astronomy tower. S-severus was up there, he didn't even see me approach him he was so engrossed." Albus had shaken his head, "Minerva, he was watching the lone figure of Miss Granger leave Hogwarts, and Minerva... there was tears shining in his eyes. Needless to say I left before he noticed me."

Dumbledore had then sat himself on the lounge and sighed deeply. "Minerva he is like a son to me, and I had to put him through so much during the war, we've got to do something to help him, the boy has suffered enough."

Minerva remembered advising him not to interfere. She should have known better of course, he was Albus Dumbledore, she shook her head, and Albus Dumbledore can't help but interfere.

McGonagall could see now that the attraction was mutual. She cleared her throat and finished her sentence, "Albus has taken advantage of a tragic situation and turned it into a positive."

Minerva watched Hermione pick up her tea again. _I suppose it's only natural she thinks Severus hates her_, and McGonagall wondered if she was doing to right thing telling her it was not the case, but surely she could do it without giving away any secrets. "Two, Professor Snape neither loathes nor hates you as you suppose. Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that he thinks you are a know-it-all, and pushes you away so aggressively."

Hermione shook her still bowed head, "No," she muttered.

Minerva sighed, "Well think about it a moment, we are speaking here about a master spy who for more years than I care to remember routinely lied to the most dangerous psychopath of the last century. He has very successfully learnt to manipulate words or he wouldn't still be here." Hermione finally looked at her puzzled, and Professor McGonagall smiled before continuing, "Hermione," she said and sighed, "Severus Snape uses words to keep the world at arm's length." Then she finally added, "He calls you a know-it-all because he likes you, you silly woman."

Her head shot up. "H-he _likes_ me?" she stuttered, and she turned bright red.

"It is plain to me he is quite fond of you, and he always has been. He gave you a hard time while you were a student, mainly because of his position within the order of things, but especially in your last year, when there was no reason left to hide behind, so you would never work it out."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But Professor, I..." but she didn't know what to say.

Professor McGonagall smiled, "You are correct, you are going to be with him, as you put it every day and probably a good proportion of each night, but Miss Granger, look beyond his words, watch his body language, and that damnable eyebrow." She chuckled, "The higher it goes the more interested he is."

"Oh," Hermione said, sounding like someone knocked the wind out of her.

"Now, I'm not saying it will be instant, but if you can manage to control that fiery Gryffindor temper and use your finer senses you will have no trouble managing to be _close_ to Professor Severus Snape all day every day, and most nights." She finally sat back in her chair, "Do you understand what I'm telling you now?"

"Y-yes, I think so, Professor," she stuttered still having trouble processing what she had just been told.

"Oh and let's just keep it between you and me. I wouldn't want the man to work out I know his tricks. These Slytherin types like to think they are all enigmatic, mysterious and in total control," as she said it she was grinning from ear to ear, and Hermione couldn't help it she laughed out loud. "Now that's more like it, my dear, finish drinking your tea before it gets cold, when does he want to see you?"

"The end of lesson two."

"Well you better hurry; you don't want to be late, now do you?" McGonagall rose from her desk and walked around toward Hermione. "If you don't want to move into your new rooms straight away you are welcome to stay with me until you are a little more settled."

"Thank you, Professor, I'll see what happens."

"That's the idea, my dear, keep an open mind, ay?"

"Professor?" Minerva glanced up from finding her next lessons homework. "What happens if this doesn't work out?"

"Don't worry, Hermione, I'm sure it won't come to that. I'll see you at lunch," she paused before she said, "Good luck, my dear." Hermione swallowed hard and headed for the door.

Minerva watched the young woman nervously wiping her hands on the ugly brown robes she was wearing. _I'm going to have to take her shopping very soon_, the Gryffindor witch thought, she felt as close to motherly as an aged woman in her circumstances can get towards Hermione Granger.

The Head of Gryffindor knew Hermione didn't have anyone else in the Wizarding world now, and her parents were less than supportive. _For Merlin's sake, talking the brightest witch of her generation into going to a Muggle University_.

She quietly wondered how that had taken place. The Hermione Granger she knew would have never given in to such a stupid idea. It was a mystery what had happened to Hermione before she had returned for her last year. Minerva could only see in hindsight what should have been clearly visible during that year. _She did an excellent job of hiding her pain_, Minerva shook her head at that thought.

Then the day she finally did graduate, Severus was suspiciously missing, and she now saw that he had been hurting at the time as well. Actually, truth be known he had been a hollow shell, all of the next year too. He only came out to teach and even then the man was so bitter that his students had wished he hadn't bothered. He hadn't even continued with his research that year. She shook her head, and wondered at it all.

Of course, Albus had only really wanted to get Miss Granger back here so he could then work out how to get the two most obstinate individuals Hogwarts had ever seen to admit they cared for one another. As she waved to the pale Hermione and the latter finally left, as the throng of students moving between classes eased, McGonagall wondered how fate chose her events. Even though she still felt he was wrong interfering she couldn't help being moved by how miserable both people appeared to be, she wondered somehow if they were meant to heal one another. Add to this the tragic accident that had left them without an Arithmancy professor right at the very same moment as Hermione had finally consented to return, well that was just amazing, tragic but amazing.


	4. Into The Snake's Lair

**Disclaimer:- **_I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates._

sSs

**A/N:- **_Yet another month has slipped by before I have updated. This year seems to be going quicker than last. Thank you to all who reviewed, I do appreciate every one of you. Thank you also to those who made this story a favourite or started following it._

_This chapter is entirely Severus and Hermione, I hope you enjoy it…_

hHh

**Chapter IV – Into the Snake's Lair**

After a three year absence Hermione noticed that little had changed as she made her way down to the dungeons. She had, thanks to Minerva McGonagall's words, partially reconciled herself to the assignment she had been handed.

Looking around in the gloom and shivering slightly, Hermione was certain that even if she had to work in the dungeons she could never actually live there with no breezes or sun wafting through the curtains in the morning. _No_, she thought, looking around the hallway again while Professor Snape finished his lesson, there was absolutely no way she was going to live down here. Besides the thought of living close to or even with the professor filled her with dread, he just made her too flustered.

Eventually the door burst open making Hermione jump, she recovered her composure before anyone noticed and watched a very relieved group of what looked like second years spill out, eagerly seeking escape to higher ground. She heard one student comment as she passed her. "Boy was he in a bad mood, and I didn't think he could get any worse."

Her friend nodded, "He's such a git, fancy giving Jones detention for blowing his nose." These comments did nothing to calm Hermione's nerves as she contemplated entering. The door remained open and with her stomach clenching, as if sending out a search party for her courage she made her shaking legs propel her towards it.

There was a great difference between partially reconciling yourself to working with Professor Snape and actually walking through the door she now stood before. So after stealing her courage she knocked.

"Enter," said his gruff voice, and he did not bother to look up from his work. "You're late," he drawled, still not looking up.

_Damn_, Hermione thought glanced up at the clock. _I can't tell him I hesitated because I was scared of coming in_. "O-only because I was waiting for your students to leave." she replied timidly.

Still not meeting her face he said, "If you are to be a teacher, Granger, you need to get some sense of your place in the scheme of things. A teacher pushes past them, deduces points and or assigns a detention if students don't show the appropriate respect."

Hearing the seething hiss in his voice Hermione found herself falling straight back into the familiar scenario, what McGonagall had told her flew straight out of her head, and the routine of standing at his desk with him berating her fell into place, it was just too ingrained.

However, her tiny gasp at his remark finally brought his head up, although she didn't see this because she now had her head lowered ready to absorb his next caustic remark. This gave him the opportunity to appraise her as he hadn't dared to in Dumbledore's office, and her apparel shocked him it was so unbecoming, so truly awful, but what came out of his mouth sounded more like an insult than a comment. "What is that ugly thing you're wearing, did it come from charity?" and as soon as he had said it he regretted it.

She looked down at her robe, she knew it was ugly but she didn't like to be told so. "It's practical," she stated, head shooting up but not able to think of anything else to defend it.

"The only thing it _is_, is practically useless," he scoffed.

Gasping once more at his venom, she stuttered, "I beg your pardon," but the damage was done, and Hermione lost her temper. "Look, I have agreed to do this against my better judgement because I wanted to learn more about Potions, but I have not come here to hear your sarcastic and irrelevant opinions about my clothes."

Snape looked hard at her, and his eyes narrowed. "Indeed," he drawled, "and Potions _is_ what I'm talking about."

Hermione gave him a look that clearly stated that she didn't believe him.

This was too much, and he was abruptly on his feet and turning on her in full rant. "Never think," and he leant forward to punctuate his point with his fingers splayed on his desk, and his arms locked, "even for one moment that I am happy about this arrangement," he spat menacingly, and he saw Hermione instinctively recoil further. "Those robes are totally useless in a Potions lab." and he glared again. "Do you have protective robes?"

Hermione stared at him, but finally managed in a small voice. "No… w-why?"

"Have some sense, Granger, you will be working with many volatile substances. I thought Albus proudly informed me this morning that you had completed a Chemistry degree. You will need protective boots and Potion resistance outer robes."

"Oh, of course I will, sir… sorry."

Both his eyebrows went up and there was suddenly silence. Finally, he sneered at her and then smirked. "Is the fierce little lioness actually apologising for her slip?"

Her head went up. "Certainly not, I was simply..." _Oh no, why can't I think of a comeback?_ "Err... momentarily... flustered." _No that was the wrong word_, but she pretended it wasn't and held her head high, studying a point just past his left shoulder.

He drew an audible breath, before all but snarling, "Very well, since I have no wish to _fluster_ the precious Gryffindor princess further, here is your schedule." He glared at her spitting each word with increased venom, before tapping his wand on the piece of parchment in front of him making it copy itself.

He picked up his familiar red quill and circled several items on the copy. "The red circled classes are the ones you will instruct, this also shows you exactly where I will be throughout the work day," he told her gruffly, sarcastically ceremoniously handing her the copied page. "Not that that will make any difference to you, you'll not want to ask me anything," and he stared straight at her, "being the world's biggest know-it-all," and he spat every word articulately for emphasis.

However, at this point, Severus Snape recognised something that made him pause. It was something he had thought last night, _I've never given her reason to think anything else_, and he realised he had fallen back into the armed stand-off he had always had with her. How could they do this if they didn't at least try to get on?

For her part, Hermione was on the verge of tears, of running from the room, but then she watched something change in his eyes. They softened marginally, and what her head of house had said came back, and she bit back the cutting comment that had been on the tip of her tongue, and waited for him to speak again.

When he did, Hermione was shocked to hear civility in his voice. "As you can see I have been able to avoid being in two places at once until now. This afternoon would have been the first clash, you have first year potions and I have fourth year Arithmancy." He gave her an odd look, "Granger, do you remember first year Potions?"

Hermione nodded thinking of bottled fame and brewed glory and she suddenly smiled, this took him by surprise especially when she started to speak, reciting the very first words he had spoken to her all that time ago. "There will be no foolish wand wavering or silly incantations in this class. As such I do not expect many of you to appreciate the exact science or subtle art that is Potion making..." Snape stared at her, stunned.

Hermione saw his expression and mistaking it for displeasure, she lowered her voice as she finished. She held her breath, waiting for his response, painfully aware that she had taken a chance and was probably about to regret it. She was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with his silence, and feeling she had to do something to break it, she uttered a very timid, "Sorry, sir," but still there was silence. Eventually her hesitant gaze met his eyes and she saw that he was literally confounded. Hermione didn't know what to think, when she caught the corner of his mouth turn up just a fraction of a millimetre just for a second.

Extremely puzzled but terribly relieved, Hermione let out the breath she had been holding, and the smile that had disappeared from her lips came back reinforced as she stood there caught in his dark eyes.

When the shock of her words had left him and Severus managed to get his brain functioning once more as he thought to himself, _Good Merlin, she remembers the first words I ever said to her_, and then he immediately scolded himself when this thought was followed by, _I wish I could make her smile like that more often._ He cleared his throat and continued with their schedule. "Then after lunch we swap, you have second year Arithmancy and then lastly third year Potions." As this point his face twitched, his eyes narrowed and he massaged the bridge of his nose. "There is a problem in third year Potions, and sometimes I think his worse than his dunderheaded cousin."

Hermione quickly glanced down the class role he pushed towards her until her eyes reached the name that she was sure was his problem. "I didn't know Neville had a cousin."

"I assure you, Granger it would have been my profoundest wish to be ignorant of the fact as well," Severus told her.

Hermione was just about to open her mouth to say something in Neville's and the as yet unknown to her Granville's defence when he cut her off.

"No," he stated seriously, but with surprisingly little malice. "If you are going to be a successful teacher you must keep your wits about you, do not feel sorry for any of the little idiots, a Potions lab is a dangerous place and your eyes need to be everywhere. If accidents are going to happen, and they will, it is inevitable; it is your job is to keep the little horrors from harm. You can't take your concentration off the whole class to stick around one dunderhead, you are likely to get yourself blown up for your trouble, do you understand?" and he was staring at her intently.

She nodded; she knew he was right, she had seen what happened when people weren't vigilant, and her mind thought of the accident that saw her standing here now discussing this. "Yes, sir," she said.

It was at this point that an awkward silence descended on the two occupants of the room, and they both retreated into the barricades they had erected to keep the world at bay, each intensely of the opinion that the other hated them, but both confused by the uncharacteristic glimpses they were getting of one another.

With little further explanation Snape abruptly thrust the lesson plans and class notes at Hermione, saying, "Here, this is what you are required to teach," and he stalked off into his office.

Hermione was left huffing impatiently as she watched the tails of his robes being engulfed by the door frame. _Infuriating man_, she thought, but why did that make her feel so sad. She vaguely glanced down at the parchments he had thrust at her and her head dropped in its usual despair.

In his office The Potions master was pacing the office length behind his desk. _I can't do this,_ he thought to himself at length. _I can't be with her like this every day, and I can't stand pushing her away any more. I hate seeing her looking so hurt and sad, _and he glanced towards the partially closed door. _Dear Merlin! She remembered the opening speech from first year word for word. I bet if she had kept going she would have remembered more_. He mused further, _she thought so much of what I said she remembered it, and she said it with such fondness and feeling._ He felt his head spin slightly as his heart constricted, _I didn't realise this would affect me so much_. He leant against his desk and ran his fingers up and down the bridge of his nose.

Hermione pensively moved her eyes around the classroom lab once more, feeling totally daunted again by what was being expected of her. From somewhere within her anxious brain she recalled her seventh year Potions study group and this allowed her to start to focus. She stared down at the notes in her hand, and then started reading. In the blink of an eye it flooded back into her mind with startling clarity, and instantly she knew she was capable of doing this. From somewhere locked away, her strength started to tentatively bubble to the surface. Looking down at the ugly brown robes, Hermione glanced at the office door and then the clock. She walked briskly to the door and knocked, "Sir?" she asked timidly.

There was silence but then, "What is it, Granger?" Hermione couldn't help thinking his voice sounded defeated and more than a little startled.

"Sir, I wish to leave," she stated as calmly as she could.

"What!" he exclaimed, and the door was instantly reefed open and he stood towering over her, a scowl firmly set on his features. She instinctively cringed; he saw this and his eyes went wide, what the hell was he trying to do to her? He didn't want to drive her away, just when he thought there was a chance of making this better. "Y-you can't just leave," he stuttered at her, looking horrified.

He said this with such urgency in his voice that Hermione looked for visual reinforcement of what she had heard. Her eyes were now straying up towards his as she spoke. "I merely wish to change, sir. I was unaware when I dressed this morning that I would be teaching first year Potions before lunch," Hermione explained hazily as her gaze met his. He had the strangest expression on his face; if she didn't know better she would say it resembled panic.

"Oh," was all he said, as he ran his thumb and forefinger up his hawk-like nose and pinched its bridge as he closed his eyes. This appeared to calm him, and he took a deep breath while he thought of a response. Finally, he said, "Miss Granger, you said you didn't have protective robes?"

It was not lost on Hermione that she had just gone from been Granger, to Miss Granger.

"Err... No, sir." she replied cautiously.

"Well what will be gained from changing then?"

Hermione sighed looking down at the robes in question. "You were correct saying that these robes weren't suitable, and I don't feel correctly dressed for teaching."

"I see," and Hermione thought his response sounded even kind. "Well, Miss Granger," he sighed, "Do you feel you have anything that would be more suitable?"

"I'm not sure, sir, but standing here debating it with you is losing me the time I need to find out."

Snape was about to snap at her when he realised that there was no sign of displeasure in her voice, it was just a calm statement of fact. Hermione let out the breath she had been holding waiting for his reaction, and she started to back away.

When he realised she was doing this, he said, "Wait, Miss Granger."

Hermione's head shot up, meeting his black gaze once more, and much to her surprise this time it was calm, almost serene, but somehow edgy, and this puzzled her greatly.

Snape could see her confusion, and he took a steadying breath. "_Please,_ wait a moment," he said, rephrasing the sentence.

Hermione's reaction was a gasp and the thought, _Professor Snape had just said, please, did I hear correctly? _

He continued, seemingly unaware he had just puzzled her more by his civility. "Now, we have 15 minutes until the little monsters invade, there is still time," and a thought invaded his mind, he tried to dismiss it, but it would be a delightful action. Finally he focused back to Hermione watching him carefully and suddenly realised she was waiting for him to explain to her why he had asked her to wait, so he hedged. "I will thank you to remember that you're my representative in this classroom and that you should act and dress accordingly."

Hermione was a little confused by this apparent change of topic because nothing he had just said, apart from his illusion to proper dress, indicated why he wanted her to remain and she was losing even more time, but she merely said, "Yes, sir."

Ignoring her puzzled expression he indicated that she should sit at his desk and go through the lessons again while he was still there in case she had any question. Hermione was now finding herself going through the events that had just taken place, certain she must have missed something, why this sudden change of attitude?

She looked wearily at the chair in question. Here was the first challenge that equalled the feat of initially walking into the room today. She cautiously edged her way around the desk taking a deep breath as she did and grimacing slightly, she gingerly perched on the edge of the chair.

Hermione hadn't realised she was holding her breath until she let it out, nor had she realised the professor was watching her until he spoke. He sounded almost amused as he drawled, "Were you expecting it to bite you, or collapse under you?"

Hermione's gaze settled on his and for some reason the thought that occurred to her was irresistible, she couldn't stop herself saying it. "I'm not sure, sir, has it ever done either to you?"

His eyebrow actually reached his hair-line and his response was equally baffling, as he didn't sound as upset as she thought he would be. "Shear impertinence, little Miss-know-it-all, now read," he commanded, but he was having trouble stifling a smile, and he sounded amused, and soon after he strode off into his office again, but this time it was with confidence and not to escape.

Hermione was certain she heard a soft chuckle as he left and she was pleased her remark hadn't over-stepped the line. Settling more comfortably she started to read with a pleased sigh, realising that she had started to relax, and this surprised her. Then as she read the information in front of her she calmed a little more as the format of his lessons came back to her.

Each class had three lessons per week, the first being a single where the theory of the potion was covered and homework was set to revise it, and the other two being a double where there was a full two hours to brew the potion in question.

In her head she ran through the procedure of the lesson before her, and she realised the first thing she needed was control of the class. Hermione suspected this was something that was leant over time, but that was a luxury she didn't have, so she mused on the Potion master's manner towards students. Finally, sitting back completely in the chair, she fixed her eyes unseeingly on a point on the back wall and contemplatively bit down on the nail of her index finger in her teeth as she rested her elbow on her other arm.

Snape was taken with the glimpses of her maturity he was seeing now he had tried to actually talk to her and not at her. He hadn't expected that, he was expecting her to instantly settle back into the fierce student that he remembered, and he was pleasantly surprised that she had matured past that point.

He felt his affection for her bubbling to the surface again, but could he trust what he was seeing. He wanted to, oh how desperately he wanted to. Closing his eyes he let himself drift to that place just for a moment, that place in his head that had sustained him through three long years. That place where he allowed himself to care for her and want her.

She had matured in the three years into a striking woman, even if she didn't appear to be taking care of herself anymore. In the end his decision was instant he had to try and make her care for him, he knew he only had himself to blame for the fact that she thought he hated her. He had to help her overcome—after finding out—whatever had happened to her to make her the hollow shell he saw before him, the sight of which made his heart ache painfully.

Getting up and arranging his features back into their usual mask. He collected the homework scrolls he would need, and wondered exactly how you tell someone that even though you've treated them like dirt for x amount of years that you are actually extremely fond of them. He quietly walked back into the classroom carrying the homework scrolls as he prepared to go the Arithmancy rooms, and saw that Hermione was deep in thought.

She startled badly when he slid up beside her noiselessly and spoke softly near her ear. "Comfortable, Miss Granger?" as she squealed and jumped her hands came up knocking the parchments he was carrying. They slithered to the floor and he regarded her with look of amused distain, "No need for hysterics," he stated imperiously.

She glared back. "Well, you shouldn't sneak up and scare people when they're deep in thought."

He flicked his wand and the parchments obediently flew back up to him. "Well, what were you so deep in thought about?" he conceded, recovering quickly.

She glanced at him puzzled, that comment had sounded almost friendly, but she followed this by thinking, _Don't be silly, why would he say something nice?_ and she forced her train of thought back to its previous subject. "Control of students," she replied. Then meeting his now unusually softened eyes she once more appeared puzzled, but recovered after becoming only slightly flustered. "You have remarkable control over the students, I'm not sure how to start to achieve that." She looked away not certain how he would respond to her next comment."Your entire demeanour is..."

He cocked his head, watching her with something akin to mischief in his eyes. "My entire demeanour is what, Miss Granger, be very careful?"

Words like threatening, overwhelming, scary and frightening rushed through her brain, eventually she settled on, "All encompassing."

"What!" he roared in feigned disbelief, "Is that the best you can come up with?"

Hermione rubbed her forehead in frustration at being too scared to say what she really thought for fear of offending him, then immediately thought, _Well that's ironic, I should be worried about offending him_. "I just mean when you walk into a room, that mere action seems to have a profound effect on people. You have a commanding presence."

She stopped and looked up at him as she heard him exhale. "Commanding presence, really?" he scoffed, and leaning closer to her, he said, "Miss Granger, I terrify people," and he studied her intently. There was no mistaking the mischief in his voice this time when he spoke, "And I intend to keep doing it… the reactions of sheep amuses me."

This time Hermione confidently held his gaze and smiled. Severus was amazed at the change some kind words had had in convincing her that he was not as bad as she thought. He was very gratified with her reaction as he continued, rewarding her for her courage. "That is until the odd sheep appears to become wiser," he bowed his head to her and the eyebrow rose. "Then I have to say that surprises me." He observed her a moment longer, "No, Mistress Granger… in this case it _pleasantly_ surprises me." After saying this he abruptly turned away, intently scrutinising something on a shelf on the back wall.

Hermione processed the words contained in the elegant compliment, and she finally gave in. She sat there conclusively acknowledging that he might actually like her and she found herself grinning like a mindless idiot, glad he had turned away. After much thinking and being fully aware of how privileged she was, she eventually found her voice and stuttered a quietly spoken, "T-thank you, sir, you don't know how much I appreciated you kind words."

Severus took a deep breath and forced his legs to hold him up, as his starved and neglected need for her coiled up through him and he unconsciously reached out to her. He hoped he sounded composed as without looking at her he finally acknowledged, "Miss Granger, you will have no trouble with the little horrors, I have seen you instruct study groups." Hermione had now stood and was beside the desk, she took a step towards him but he heard and moved further away. "However," he continued, could he actually do this? "Just to make certain, will you permit me to Transfigure some more suitable robes for you?" When she didn't answer he turned back towards her just for a moment, and saw an internal struggle evident in her expression, but she nodded carefully, once. Severus bowed his head to her in return. "If you would be so good as to stand still, Miss Granger?" he asked calmly, and he flicked his wand at her four times in quick succession.

Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before he abruptly span on his heel and headed towards the door, fully aware of the implications of what he had just done as he heard her gasps of surprise and he continued roughly, "Now, try not to damage my lab while it is under your care."

She heard him as she was looking down at herself. He hesitated just inside the door, resting his hand on the frame, and without turning he said, "You will take your place beside to me at lunch… until then," and he was gone.


	5. What Just Happened?

**Disclaimer:- **_I neither own nor earn anything from this story. Harry Potter and his world are the intellectual property of JK Rowling and associates_

sSs

**A/N:- **_Well dear readers time has simply flown again. I had hoped that there would not be such as gap between chapters; please accept my apologies for this. As always thank you for your comments and support, I appreciate all of you. I hope you enjoy this instalment. ORS_

hHh

**Chapter Five – What Just Happened?**

Hermione was still staring down at her new robes when she realised that the Potions professor had left and she hadn't even acknowledge him, but she was still blinking in astonishment. Gone were the ugly brown, loose fitting garments that she hadn't been bothered to worry about, that candidly she knew did nothing to enhance her figure or build her confidence. However, she had resigned herself to the fact that nobody was interested in a plain bookworm anyway.

Then it dawned on her stunned brain that perhaps somebody finally was interested in her. She hadn't dared hope, but what he had just done, she looked down once more, and she sighed, they were beautiful. Her horridly drab garments had been transfigured into a long black fish-tailed skirt and something that partially resembled a Victorian style, woman's riding coat—black of course—with almost as many buttons as his coat had.

The coat had very feminine black scroll pattern appliqués embroidered on the pockets, and this extended to around the lapels of the collar and down the front each side of the buttons, which were black mother of pearl. Hermione looked at the detail of the snow-white ruffles sticking out at the cuffs and felt up around her collar to note that her coat was not buttoned to her throat as his was. The blouse had a high neck line and her questing fingers felt ruffles spilling out of the coat. Hermione felt something resting under her throat and even though she couldn't see it she felt a brooch or pin of some kind there.

The Gryffindor witch felt the sudden urge to do a happy dance, was this what she had been searching for? Soon after she had entered the wizarding world, Hermione had become sensible of the different modes of dress when in such places as Diagon Alley. She soon noticed that her taste ran to the well dressed witch with the more traditional Victorian aspects to her dress.

Looking down again, she stroked the front of the jacket; she would most certainly feel comfortable to teach in this mode of dress, the similarities to Severus' form of attire were remarkable. The happy Gryffindor witch almost laughed when she lifted the hem of her skirt and found she was wearing the most delicate looking pair of black dragon hide boots. "Perfect," she breathed.

They had pointy toes, Cuban heels and laced up the front to where they finished above her ankles. Her heart tightened in her chest and she didn't know how she knew it, but she was certain it was all completely perfect. Her Muggle days and all the issues associated with them were gone, just a bad memory. Really, after she had discovered she was a witch she had never fitted in there.

Her last attempt to fit back into a Muggle lifestyle, had been at the request of her parents, who still hadn't completely come to turns with their daughter's strange gifts—as they put it—and had intimated that they thought she would grow out of it. Of course, her last venture into Muggle society had come as a result of the war, and running away from what felt comfortable because it all hurt so much to have lost so many friends and then there was what had happened to her just before the final battle.

She realised now though, at this moment that she had never really gotten over her love of everything magical, and this extraordinarily prickly man who she had always looked to for guidance, even if he had been caustic about it. He had just placed her exactly where she knew deep down she needed to be, perhaps deep down her decision to come back had revolved around Severus after all, but she just hadn't known it.

Finally, Hermione lifted her shaking hands up into her hair that she gasped, it was cascading down her back in loose curls, how had he done that? The front was pulled back loosely off her face into a bun which was secured with a heavy metal clip which felt very ornate. She saw her distorted reflection in the shining cauldron next to her and was pleased, _How does he know more about this than I do_, she pondered momentarily.

Almost, just for a second she thought she was going to cry, what he had done for her was such a beautiful gesture and it gave her untold confidence, and her complete disbelief at his actions shocked her. If she had wanted proof that he cared for her, well here it was, all the proof she needed. The thorniest wizard she had ever known had actually showed his caring side, something she never thought she would see, and felt bad when she had to admit to herself that she had doubted he actually possessed.

She knew where she belonged now. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor witch belonged here beside the most exasperating and man she had ever met, and when she realised this was what she had seemingly wanted for at least four years, the knowledge shocked her deeply. How could this have happened so fast? There was no fooling herself, or denying what she felt about him now. She would never have had the courage to make such changes to her dress, but she loved what he had done.

Her thanks were so softly spoken, it was as if she thought it. "Oh Severus, thank you," she murmured, and it was not lost on her that in her mind he had instantly become Severus. She did wonder if she would ever get to use his name to his face, but for the first time in four years she actually felt hopeful about something.

xox

As he almost strutted off up the dungeon hallway, Severus Snape found it difficult to wipe the smile off his face, although his brain was working at light-speed trying to find a justification for his deed, other than the fact he cared for the witch he had just left.

The immense satisfaction he felt from such a simple act was almost overwhelming, and

it was a sentiment that he wasn't used to feeling. Very few people, apart from psychopaths and maniacs ever asked him to do things to help them and ninety nine times out of hundred they were unsavoury things he didn't want to do. He had never just done something because he'd had an irresistible urge to do so, and even if he hadn't stuck around to view the result, if she had been displeased he would have known about it by now.

He was aware that Miss Granger was one of the few people who had always defended him consistently, and to anyone she heard casting barbs or abuse in his direction while a student here, even though he had continually thrown the same at her the entire time.

This he told himself now is why he had helped her feel more confident, any reason other than having to finally admit what his brain was screaming at him all day; that he was still totally besotted with her. _Shit_, he thought_. When did I become this sentimental? I'll have bloody little cupids following me if I'm not carefully_, and he actually glanced behind him.

_She had been very fierce, defensive and easy to anger when she had been a student here. In fact she scared people almost as much as I do_. However, today he had seen a very different young woman who turned his barbs politely back at him, and this showed her maturity. He could still sense the fierceness and defensiveness but the balance had shifted somehow. Now she was also shy, almost timid, and somehow lost. He felt an overwhelming urgency to help, to protect her, and this scared him slightly because it made him vulnerable, what if after all she rejected him?

These were emotions that no one since Lily had stirred in him. He was so used to keeping the world at arm's length, part of it was his years as a spy and the other part was a defence against further rejection. Suddenly he partly understood the pain he had seen in her eyes last night at the gates, she had been repeatedly rejected as well. It was more than just the war that was affecting her, someone, probably more than one someone had hurt her badly, so badly that she now appeared as miserable is him and this tore at his heart cruelly.

When Severus saw the first years heading towards the Potions lab, he managed to compose his features into the customary scowl he saved especially for first years, but somehow it fell flat. Of course as he strode down the centre of the corridor the first years still scattered against the walls, so his reputation remained intact. By this time first week back there was not a single first year—Muggle-born or not—who hadn't heard of his formidable reputation.

As for said first years scurrying towards the Potions classroom, the fact that their Potions professor was heading in the wrong direction never even occurred to them, they were just glad he had passed them and had not stopped to admonish any of them.

xox

Back in the classroom, Hermione had finally finished being flustered over her new robes and had successfully quelled the emotion that was running through her as she started to prepare for her students to arrive.

Once she was ready, she ran her hand down the wool of the coat again, feeling the magic imbedded within it that offered the protection from spills, acids and burns ripple at her touch. His magic, magic that had made her so happy, and it was while she was considering this that she remembered how the professor entered his classroom.

She giggled thinking of his entrances. They were always preceded by the door opening violently followed by his sudden appearance teaching robes billowing behind him as said door then snapped shut again at his command. It had the effect of instantly attracting the silent attention of everyone in the room. So she took herself into his office and watched the students filing in through a crack in the door, they were all looking around themselves nervously wondering what was going on.

Once they were all seated she finally swept into the room as the office door snapped shut angrily behind her, and granted she was without the added magnificence of the teaching robes but still she was certain that her professor would have been proud. Every single head snapped in her direction, she pointed her wand at the board and her title started appearing in her neat scrolled handwriting. She had their rapt attention even before she had uttered word, and she silently gave her thanks once more to Severus and commenced the lesson.

Near the end of that first lesson she knew she had found her calling in life. It went so well while they quietly copied the board full of notes Severus had already written, but which appeared in her hand courtesy of the board knowing who was teaching. Hermione took a turn around the room once or twice looking over shoulders and generally trying to see how they were doing learning about their second potion, a simple calming draught. She eventually went back to the desk. She couldn't bring herself to call it her desk or even their desk yet, but at least she managed to sit at it this time with less trepidation than the first time.

While her current class worked Hermione went over the second year Arithmancy notes once more for the class after lunch. It was as she was reading through these notes that she noticed his spidery script starting to appear on the bottom of the last page, informing her that she only need bring herself and the lesson plan to the Arithmancy class, as he had taken everything else with him.

Hermione was taken with an overwhelming urge to thank him, and least of all for his postscript, but she didn't know the spell he had used, so she used one she was familiar with. Taking a small piece of parchment she wrote her reply, smiling as she underlined the word 'everything' twice and with a murmured word the parchment folded itself into the shape of a delicate origami dove.

She then added additional charms so when it reached the first-floor it would go out the nearest window, and then in the Arithmancy classroom window and onto his desk. She also added a Notice-me-not spell so only he would see it. Taking it to the door and opening it, Hermione tapped the note with her wand to send it on its way. Going back to the desk, so she wouldn't forget, she shrank the notes and lesson plan and placed them in her pocket and then went back to surveying her class.

xox

When Severus saw the little dove waft in the window and settle on his desk his dark eyes narrowed. As usual his first thought was someone playing a joke on him, but then he observed the delicate detail of the dove and decided against doing anything until after class.

It felt like an age before class finished and finally after flicking his wand to shut and lock the door he tentatively picked up the delicate little bird and carefully unfolded it, the note was simple, all it said was:

_Professor Snape, _

_Thank you for your post-script on the notes and really for everything you've done for me this morning. I simply love my new robes. _

_Hermione. _

_ps. I'm starving how 'bout you?_

It was too much for him his heart twisted in his chest as he felt hers firmly entwine itself around his once more, and he thought he was going to burst with happiness at such a simple act of kindness. He was so unaccustomed to anything of this sort he had learnt to be very weary of them. He wanted so badly to just accept this act on face-value, and given her loyal history and her apparent high opinion of him he decided he would try and do so.

It was difficult, because he was used to being so suspicious of everyone, deep down he still wondered if he could trust anything. He was so used to disappointment it seemed a way of life, and surely this was too fast and too unexpected to be possible.

_No_, he told himself. _Be guarded for once instead of abrupt and sarcastic, try to show her you appreciated her gesture just as she has shown you that she was happy for yours._ So he carefully placed the little note in his pocket, and with his features set in neutral he left for lunch. Actually, he was also starving, but could he bring himself to admit that to her?

As Severus came down the Grand Staircase he stopped, Minerva had Hermione by the hand at the bottom of the stairs, twirling her around as if she had never seen anyone dressed so beautifully before, and while he watched Minerva enthused on how fabulous she looked he considered that the young woman did in fact look stunning.

Then he heard something that took him one more step closer to utterly trusting her, he felt his breath catch in his throat as she replied, "Professor, they are only protective robes, I need them if I'm going to teach Potions."

"Yes, my dear, but you weren't wearing them this morning?"

Hermione didn't even blink she shrugged and said, "I changed before class," and in such a way that Minerva knew it was the end of the discussion, and the best part was it wasn't a lie and she didn't tell her how she had changed, and that extra withheld information elder witch would have leapt to several very large conclusions was the thing that told him he could tentatively she reaching out more confidently towards her. Hermione had decided to preserve his privacy and his dignity, and this impressed Severus more than he cared to admit.

He continued down the stairs and caught up with them. "Ah Severus," Minerva enthused, "doesn't Miss Granger look spectacular? These robes give her that certain dignified air that a teacher needs."

Severus surveyed Hermione from head to toe and panning back up to her eyes, he said, "Indeed." His eyes were still watching Hermione when he continued, "Come ladies, I find myself to be quite starving," and his eyebrow rose. He saw the reaction he was looking for at his comment, and Hermione's pretty blush, this made another opinion in his trousers twitch in interest and he thanked his teaching robes for their voluminous proportions, as he offered an arm to each witch.

Minerva rightly chose however, to accept Dumbledore's arm instead, when he arrived as if on cue, leaving Hermione to be led into the hall on Severus' arm, behind Albus and Minerva. This sent a clear message to those who may have wished to make trouble that Hermione Granger was well protected.

To Hermione however, the whole thing seemed dream-like, how had she gone from being an outcast in every aspect of her life at breakfast time, to feeling so accepted and at home by lunchtime. She glanced up at the stoic and neutral mask of her escort and realised that really little had changed, but something had, she was now on the arm of a man who many considered the most unfeeling they had ever met. Yet after her experiences with him this morning she would—as she always had—disagree with them about that.

Hermione was so caught up in her own thoughts that she missed the malevolent glares of several seventh year Slytherins as their head of house led his new assistant into the hall. There was nothing out of the ordinary in what he was doing. It was a time honoured tradition for a master to lead their new apprentice into their first meal in the Great Hall. Sprout had done so with Neville Longbottom when he had started, perhaps not in such a gallant manner but, nevertheless she had done it.

Severus of course, was scanning the room as he always did, and he did not miss a thing. He knew that the families of these seventh year boys were still very anti-Muggle-born, and that he himself was still under threat from them because his true alliances had been uncovered as the war ended. Many of their family members were serving time in Azkaban for their roles in the war.

The Potions master was aware that if he intended to woo Hermione, that it would have to be very low-key, or he would only succeed in making her a bigger target than she already was for their nasty campaign against him. He sat her carefully at the head table and then took his own seat, his eyes warning anyone with thoughts of mischief that they had better rethink their intentions.


End file.
